El Monte city employees brace for pay cuts

The entire city council and mayor should take a 5% pay cut. Then cut the police department out and hire the Sheriff. We will no longer have a deficit and jobs will be secured for all.

I agree with having the city council take a pay cut as well as I think they should give up the retirement they recieve. Why are we paying for their retirement the same as an employee that works 40 hours a week. I disagree with the police department. Why should we bring county sheriffs when one of our biggest problem that we are in a shortfall is due to county fire. County fire gets raises every year without the city having a say in their contract. The county fire chief has come out and even said cities don't save money by going with county. Lets also see how much county fire is willing to cut to help the city, my guess not much if any. So why should we bring in county for another service when the one we have is draining our city.

We already have it hard as city workers. How much more can they take from us. I would prefer a day without pay once a month. But that should be set for all of us. Stright across the board. Fair is fair.

We have been hearing about a deficit for years and the spending has not changed. I do not believe the city workers should take the brunt of the gross mismanagement of money by City Administrators.

By the way, why isn't this budget review being conducting at the Council Meeting tonight????

The entire community along with the entire nation is suffering. These are unprecedented economic times. El Monte is currently faced with high unemployment. Asking for some sort of across the board percentage cut or at least a freeze on cost of living increases is probably justified if the problem can't be resolved by furlough.

For this to work it needs to be across the board. From the City Council to the City Managers to the rank and file. The rank and file should not be the only one's to bear this burden.

The residents of El Monte believed in the City enough to pass a series of tax measures, now it's time for City hall (all of city hall) to share in the sacrifice.

If we all sacrifice a little no ONE person will have to sacrifice too much.

Why should we sacrifice anything at all? The mayor and council created this. They should give up all medical and other perks.

To Employee:

You may be right about the poor judgements that led to the problem we have now but simply cutting-off the council without taking any other action won't solve the problem...it only makes you part of the problem....another reason why the problem won't get solved. You can switch the deck chairs on the Titantic...you can throw the captain and his chair overboard...GUESS WHAT??? You're still on the Titantic and it's still gonna sink unless you and others like you do something meaningful.

I do think that it would be a great jesture for the leadership of the city to accept some sort of cuts as an example to the community and the employees who work with them.

Just a thought.

City Employees: Cry and weep! If the city was a private enterprise, layoffs and pink slips would be handed out.
Stop your whining.

Actually if it was a private enterprise they'd be crying to the government for bailout money.

Actually both the City and private enterprises have similar problems....both are under funded due in large part to the disproportionate costs associated with Union workers. Time to pay what the market will offer...not unrealistic sweetheart packages.

Go to Love El Monte... It's the only City I know that will give the Police Chief a raise only to have him retire two weeks later. What's worst is that this Council has the nerve to pass the bill to the community through measures. When will El Monte residents say enough is enough? I do agree with the Sheriff department comment, El Monte P.D. meddles to much into the local politics.

Comparing the city to the Titanic is very fitting. Watch out city employees, your ship's officers are aiming for the icebergs and the city staff is going to grab all the lifeboats.

The council knew we were in trouble financially, but they continued to spend like drunken sailors. How does a city, so deeply in debt manage to replace most of their cars and trucks? How does a city so deeply in debt approve a contract for a new police chief and asst. chief, that includes higher pay and benefits than any other city in the valley?

People. Yes, there probably is plenty of blame to go around....but we can't afford to waste time figuring out who to nail to a cross....that may feel good and self-saltisfying but it won't solve the City's basic problem RIGHT NOW.

Our energies should be devoted to figuring out how to reduce costs in a way that spreads the pain (AND THEIR WILL BE PAIN) evenly so that no one person or group of persons has to suffer unfairly. The residents of the city have done their part by authorizing more tax measures (WE SHOULD ALL SAY THANK YOU TO THEM). Now we need to show the residents that we are willing to tighten our belts too. It's the right thing to do.

As was said before it would be a great show of leadership if the leadership of the city would agree to reductions for themselves. You can't expect the people you lead to make sacrifices you yourself are unwilling to make similar sacrifices.

Just a thought

Unless the source of the problem is identified, any measures will only amount to band-aids on the problem. Band-aids are only a short term solution to stop the hemorrhaging. We need to fix the problem immediately.

Equal cuts across the board is not a band aid.

What you call: "getting to the source of the problem" sounds more like "let's find a convenient scapegoat so I can avoid having to bear my fair share of the overall sacrifice." It's this kind of collective selfishness that has contributed to the problem.

Equal cuts for EVERYONE: for civilian and police, management and rank and file, electeds and non-electeds. THAT'S FAIR.

NO SACRED COWS....You know who you are.

RESIDENT'S NEED TO ATTEND TONIGHTS BUDGET MEETING.

CERTAIN PAMPERED GROUPS ARE PLANNING TO SHOW UP IN FORCE TO GET THEIR WAY ON THE BUDGET.

RESIDENT'S NEED TO BE THERE IN EQUAL FORCE TO REMIND THE COUNCIL WHO THEY REALLY WORK FOR.

GET YOU FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO COME.

THIS IS VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT.

RESIDENT'S NEED TO ATTEND TONIGHTS BUDGET MEETING.

CERTAIN PAMPERED GROUPS ARE PLANNING TO SHOW UP IN FORCE TO GET THEIR WAY ON THE BUDGET.

RESIDENT'S NEED TO BE THERE IN EQUAL FORCE TO REMIND THE COUNCIL WHO THEY REALLY WORK FOR.

GET YOU FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO COME.

THIS IS VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT

i bet all the employee unions that funded City Council re- election campaigns are regretting that move.

i bet all the employee unions that funded City Council re- election campaigns are regretting that move.

the El Monte POA probably has no problems.

prediction: no one will dare ask them to cut anything.

after all elections are coming and candidates will be falling all over themselves to kiss their ring.

too bad for everyone else.

Sacrifices must be shared.

BUDGET MEET TUESDAY NIGHT

6:30 P.M. AT EL MONTE CITY HALL

Sacrifices need to be shared. All unions need to make sacrifices along with everyone else.

Police and Fire should not try to save themselves by throwing other employees who have made sacrifices off the cliff...

Now is the time to SHARE IN THE SACRIFICE.

Now is NOT THE TIME to promote hairbrained SCHEMES that stall on sacrifice or that threaten the city's future.

YOU CAN'T PUT OFF FOR TOMORROW WHAT YOU NEED TO CONFRONT TODAY.

BEWARE OF PEOPLE OFFERING SIMPLISTIC SOLUTIONS TO COMPLICATED PROBLEMS.

http://www.savecityofelmonteservices.com/